Sweet Little Triplets
by Chasing After Time
Summary: What if the Queens had not been switched? What if all their gifts had been early and immnesely powerful? A retelling of Three Dark Crowns.
1. Prologue

Queen Camille stared blankly at the three babies that Willa fussed over. The three Queens. As her eyes wandered upon them, words formed in her head. _Naturalist. Poisoner. Elemental._

 _Katharine. Arsinoe. Mirabella._

It was as if the goddess was whispering in her ear; twisting the strings as always. But Camille had her own strings to pull. 'Those two.' She whispered, the blood loss taking a toll on her. 'I was mistaken. The third born was a poisoner, and the second a naturalist.' Her eyes were desperate, pleading, as she looked at her nursemaid.

Willa inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. 'Queen Cami-'

'Another poisoner cannot sit the throne.' The Queen rasped. _It is for the good of the island._ But as she studied the midwife, she knew the woman was too kindly, too weak to do it. She had not endured the torture the Queen had at the hands of the Arrons. She had not had a _Gave Noir_ when she was a young child with a weak gift, had not been subjected to countless excruciating venoms and poisons as part of her 'training.' Only Queens could experience that. Only Arrons could peform it.

Three days after the triplets birth, when Camille had healed and rested, she left for the mainland with her king consort. When she gave birth, her title was passed to those babies. _Queen Katharine, the naturalist. Queen Arsinoe, the poisoner. Queen Mirabella, the elemental._ Willa would be their mother now, for six years, and then the girls woud be passed on to the prospective families. Then the only mother they will ever have is the goddess. _May she protect them._


	2. Innocence

Shrieks of joy echo through the black cottage. Willa smiles, sipping on her veratrum wine; a drink only to be consumed by poisoners. One day soon, little Arsinoe will be able to drink that. She already plucks at the berries in the bushes.My Arsinoe. My girls.Willa frowns as she hears a high pitched Katherine wails, her little hands pushing at Mirabella. The girl does not budge; instead, she just focuses. And it's clear to see what is using up her energy. The wind howls around the three infants, strong and uncontrollable. "Mirabella." Willa says softly. The girl does not budge. "Mirabella!" she raises her voice, grabbing the girl as softy as she can. She is still an infant. The girl is crying, her cheeks flushed, her raven hair a mess. She looks pleadingly at her with her dark eyes.

"I don't want to go, Willa. Never!" Willa sighs, then tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I shouldn't have told you, Mira..." she sighs, frustrated. In a month today, her girls will be gone. They were never your girls in the first place. "It will be okay. You'll be with nice people, and they can teach you about your gifts. Make you stronger." Willa smiles, trying to reassure her. But Mirabella had always been a clever girl.

"But I want to be with Katharine and Arsinoe!" She wails. Willa just embraces her, lost for words. There are none that will matter, or hold any semblance of the truth.

A month turns to two weeks. Then ten days. Four. Two.

 _Six hours._

The midwife keeps herself busy with braiding three sets of identical black hair, welcoming the ache that infects her hands. _A distraction._ She distracts herself plenty, preparing breakfast, knitting, fixing the girls clothes. Doing anything but checking the time.

They came anyway. Katharine and Arsinoe, the innocent and naive girls, thought it was just the daily deliveries; cakes, bread, milk, cold meat. Willa only wished it was. Reality was a hard thing to face. Especially for children. Mirabella already had a mind way past her body- intuitive and clever. She began to whimper, clutching her sisters hands tightly. It felt like bringing tears to her eyes, the fact that these close triplets were _destined_ to be enemies. It wasn't fair. But the island was long since fair; not with the Arrons on the council.

 _Poisoners can't rule. You should've swapped them when you had the chance._

Willa mentally shook herself, ignoring the little bitter voice in her head. There were more important things, like the fact the Arrons weregoing to take Arsinoe and corrupt her, make her twisted and disturbed. _Not a little girl. Not my girl._

 _Were they ever?_

As the families arrived, Katharine began to cry; sniffling, loud sobs, like only an infant could. Willa looked at her, trying to make herself look reassuring, but her face was blank. The tense atmosphere in the air wasn't only emotional, too. Mirabella had created dark clouds that blanketed the sun, mirroring the mood that lingered in the air. Her face seemed strained and focused, but she was strong, stronger than a six year old should be, even if that six year old was a queen. The Westwood's looked delighted at this fierce display, if a little surprised. The Poisoners looked disgusted, as they always seemed to do. Willa couldn't believe she was one of them. The Naturalists just looked eerily calm, like a clear reflection of nature. A little girl held Caragh Milones hand, with beautiful eyes, one blue, one green. She looked shy but angry, full of power, at the same time. The midwife made a mental note to look out for her in the future.

Natalia Arron, the regal woman who everyone had heard the rumours about, stepped forward, wearing all black. _The colour of Queens._ She had a permanent scowl, but that was all a facade. Willa had heard Camille reminisce, remembering the lost relationship that was forbidden. Natalia was broken. _And the broken are the more evolved._ "Which ones ours?" She asked, her voice cool as she gestured towards the triplets, tightly huddled together, eyes wide with fear. Arsinoe looked towards her sisters, apologetic, and then stumbled forwards, tripping over her dress.

 _My little Arsinoe. Not afraid of anything._

She took the Arrons hand, refusing to look back. The girl didn't know what she had willingly gave herself to, didn't know what she had to _do._ Willa wanted to shout, and scream, and rush up to her girl and pull her into her arms, tell her the dangers of the world. But she did not. They were only things that a mother could do, and these girls had no mother. They were royal, sacred. Children of the Island. It would be sacrelige to say the things that Willa so desperately wanted to say. Those three little words were stuck on her tongue, and they would be forever. As Arsinoe sat down in the ornately decorated carriage, sitting in complete silence, Willa turned back to the remaining triplets. Katharine, the youngest and smallest, cowered under the eyes of so many yearning people, each expecting the weight of the world on her shoulders. Mirabella clung tightly to her arm, her face masked with stress and pain. Horrible sounds echoed from the sky above, along with momentary flashes that lit up everyone's faces; making even the most horrible situations entrancing and beautiful. Mira started to shake, her skin losing its color. An audible gasp came from the Westwood's, this display perhaps more impressive than some of their most talented elementals. But it was nowhere near safe. "Mira. Mira, you need to stop." Willa hissed, her voice seething with a blend of emotions. The girl looked at her, silent tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. This wouldn't last for much longer. Willa took hold of her delicate hand, tracing patterns around it. "It's okay. It's okay. You'll be okay." She repeated the meaningless lies to the girl, looking her directly in her eyes. Mira didn't want to give up, but exhaustion was an overwhelming factor. She mouthed something intelligible, and then fell to the floor, her legs bending into an awkward position. Willa cursed silently, and then cradled her into her arms, fighting the urge to kiss her on her forehead, or hug her and never let go.

"Enough." Sara Westwood murmured, her face unreadable. The midwife let go of her girl, her hands tingling and weak. She noticed dimly that Katharine was already in her carriage, sobbing into her dress. Willa couldn't say anything. There was nothing to say that wouldn't get her executed.

When the carriages had left, and the girls had gone, the woman who had been hurt time and time again and had never healed sat on the gravel, her face swollen and her cheeks red.

 _My girls._


	3. New Home (10-14 09:09:27)

_Rolanth, the Elementals City._

Mirabella snarled, her black hair fanning around her, a complete and utter mess. Sara Westwood seemed to shrink in size, watching the indescribable power that the young girl possessed. The Castle seemed to shake, the earth trembling. The girl still showed no signs of failure. Sara remembered the last elemental queen, kindly and shy. Mira was the exact opposite. _Blasphemy. It's Blasphemy._ No Queen should have this strong a reaction to being separated from her sisters; it only indicated love. And love was an emotion a queen should not feel.

"Queen Mirabella," Sara began calmly, thinking of the coolness of the elements to protect her. The girl turned to her, a strange look on her face. "Queen. Would you like to meet my daughter? She would like to meet you." She squeaked, gesturing towards the door behind them. The Older woman hated to admit it, but she was afraid of this girls raw power. And she was confident. Confident that the next Queen on the throne would be an elemental.

She is like a different girl. She laughs and plays with her, seeming like a child and not an enraged queen. Sara suspects that it is in fact an escape for her, an escape from the pain of losing her siblings. Though she should not feel sympathy, she cannot help it. They are family, and they will always be family.

It is clear that she is not cruel, or unkind. Mirabella possesses power, but she doesn't see herself as inferior, as some Queens did. Like Camille. Like all the poisoner queens. The Arron Family tainted the throne, made it bitter and unfair.

 _They have reigned for hundreds of years._

 _It is time for a new era._

 _A new world._

 _Wolf Spring, the Naturalist's city._

Katharine bundled her rags tightly, silent tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. Caragh Milone looked at her with a pitiful expression, but said nothing. A girl clutched the woman's hands, a beautiful girl with two different coloured eyes; haunting and alluring. She gave Katharine cold looks every now and again, seemingly agitated by her crying. The Queen sniffed, hiding herself with her ebony hair. Just having it was a reminder of her sisters. Her whole appearence was just a reflection of them.

 _Oh, her sisters!_ _How she didn't understand, didn't care why they had been separated! She just needed them; Arsinoes unwavering loyalty, Mirabellas clammy hands._

It was twilight. The young queen stared at the darkness rapidly approaching the house, the quaint little cottage on the beach. She had no words, and had no thoughts. Her eyes just blurred, from the tears or from something else, she didn't know.

"Queen Katharine." A voice echoed out through the quiet room, steady and clear. Katharine blinked, tugging her blanket more tightly over her. There was a chill in the air, something that couldn't be replicated by an Elemental. Something that she wished she didn't have to feel.

"Queen Katharine," She repeated, now sounding a little more human. "Do you know my name?" The girl asked, clambering out of her bed.

"You're Jullienn-"

"No!" She grimaced, memories edging into her head. "I'm Jules. That's my name."

Katharine nodded slowly, ashamed to admit that this girl intimidated her with her fierce energy. But she wasn't mean. She wasn't cruel.

 _Maybe she could be my friend._

 _Greavesdrake Manor, the Arron's home._

Arsinoe studies her new home with wide eyes, taking in the finery and expensive furniture. It is so unlike the cottage that she was in until a couple of hours ago, and she cannot decide whether it is better than it or not. She refuses to think about her sisters, about what they're doing. _I'll see them again. Willa said so._ The woman, Natalia, takes her to her bedroom. She tells her of her gift, of the beauty of resisting death when others cannot. That she is powerful, and that she will sit on the throne. _The throne? I thought we all did._

Later that night, she is taken to a dark chamber. It is haunted by screams of torment, and drunken ramblings. Things that a child should not have to hear. Arsinoe keeps a blank face, but inside, a flower of fear is blossoming.

"Your gift has come, Queen Arsinoe. You can ingest and resist poisons. The midwife told me that." She hands the girl a glass of something extremely pungent- a deep, crimson red. "Drink. I want to know she's not lying." Her voice was bitter, tinged with cruelty. Reluctantly, she took the glass of acrid liquid and tilted it, swallowing immediately. Natalia looked pleased, as much as she could. The only background noise was a incessant humming, clearly coming from some half mad lunatic. They could have been standing there for ten minutes or an hour, but eventually, the Arron smiled. "So your gift has come." She gently reached out, touching a lock of dark hair. Arsinoe frowned, but let her do so. She wasn't an idiot; she knew the woman had gave her poison. But she also knew that it wouldn't kill her _or_ harm her.

"You're a poisoner." Natalia whispered in the dirty air that surrounded them. She leaned in close to the young girls ear, dangerously close. "Poisoners _poison."_ Arsinoe shivers, a feeling of being engulfed in pure ice overwhelming her for a second. This woman- Natalia- is not a kindly person, is the mirror opposite to Willa. She does not feel safe, does not comfort her, does not hold her hand. She doesn't hurt her either. Her energy, her very aura is cold and stiff, infecting her eerie beauty. Maybe that is what enhances it.

The screams worsen. They turn gargled, throats full with blood and phglem. _A nightmare._ Though she does not cower or whimper, Arsinoe finds herself moving slowly towards Natalia, like a magnet gravitating towards metal.

They stop, and the screaming stops too. There is light here, tinged red. It casts a sinister shadow on the faded walls and the rusty bars, on the still figures keeled over, muttering over and over and over. Natalia smiles, a horrible, enchanting smile, and withdraws a key. In a second, they are inside a cramped room, the stench of death lingering everywhere. A man, ragged and dirty, lays on the floor, clearly bruised. Arsinoe stares with wide eyes, the sight of violence unbearablely new to her. All around them are jars and vials, full to the brim with colourful powders and concoctions. It is oddly beautiful, these instruments of suffering. Natalia walks silently to a drawer, her heels the only sound in the room. She takes something out that the Queen cannot see, and then walks back over. Her steps are regal, her body poised and elegant. She really is the height of sophistication.

"You know what you are here for, don't you?" She hisses, her eyes fixed on the man. He shakes, but says nothing. This seems to please her. Slowly and excruciatingly, she pulls the cap off of the object in her hand, letting it gleam and shimmer.

 _Poison. It's poison._

Arsinoe watches in shock, the whole room swaying, as the Arron tilts the prisoners head back. Pours the vile looking mixture down his throat. Watches him choke and convulse and cry, and groan, and scream...

 _I am a poisoner._

 _I poison._


	4. Familiar

**_Ten Years until the Ascension Year._**

 _Rolanth_

Luca sighs in expiration as she approaches the Elemental's city. Word had spread of the young queen; that she possessed power that could rival the poisoners. Never before has the island seen an elemental the his strong- not since the Queens of Old. And she was only a child. Her rage must have strengthened her immensely.

Mirabella dug her claw-like nails into the pale skin of her palm, ignoring the concern of Priestesses. They are afraid of her, she knows, but they are also in awe. Sara herself had told her that she would be 'the next queen.' But that didn't make sense. Her, Katharine, and Arsinoe _were_ the Queens; they were all equal. Willa had said so. But now, it was all treated like a competition, like a game. And she didn't understand.

 _Would she ever?_

"You should have seen her, High Priestess. It was raw power, unimaginable..." Sara Westwood sighed, breathless with wonder for a moment. She sits down on her chair, offering a fine glass of red wine to Luca. She shakes her head.

"So you truly believe she is the destined queen?" Her voice is shaky and exhausted, but full of curiosity.

Sara nods, taking a sip of her wine. Perhaps more than a sip. "She misses her sisters, you know. She could have killed us all..." Her voice wanders off again, her eyes dancing around.

Luca sighs and shakes her head, studying her slender hands. "She'll come around. It is the natural order, the way things should be." She says these words, though she doesn't know whether she believes them herself. _How ironic- the high priestess doesn't believe in the goddess._

Sara raises her eyebrows, then laughs; a drunken, girly laugh. "For both me and your sake's, I hope she does."

When Luca goes to visit her after, she realises she won't. The girl is enraged, frightened and alone. Refusing all food, all contact. All she repeats is constant pleas for _Arsinoe_ and _Mirabella,_ caught in between broken sobs. Never mind the fact that the girl nearly tried to drown her with her affinity for water. She knows now, that this Queen is reluctant, and will always be so.

But that doesn't matter. All that matters is her strength and her power. That's all they need- the people believing that she is the destined queen. They are already tired of the long reign of Poisoners. _Easily susceptible._

Tomorrrow, she will begin.

 _Wolf Spring._

Katharine watches silently as a flock of crows fly ahead, elegant in every way. Jules sits next to her on the cool grass, eating an apple that she had just ripened. It is here that Katharine could talk, without the pressure of the Milones on her. It had been two weeks since she had left the black cottage, and bit by bit, she was slowly getting used to a life in Wolf Spring.

"Jules?" She squeaked, staring at the girl next to her. For a moment, she seemed lost in a world that only she could see. For only a moment.

"Yeah, Kat?" Jules murmured, turning around to face her. Her eyes always surprised Katharine; the sheer beauty of them.

Katharine sniffed. "You like me, right? Like, you're my friend." Her voice was high pitched, her confidence rapidly declining. They rarely talked, and Caragh had told her that Jules was a funny one. Katharine just wanted a friend, someone who could replace her sisters for the time being. Someone like Jules.

Jules cocked her head for a moment, then smiled weakly. "Of course, Kat. Why would I not be?" She raised her eyebrows, and Katharine felt a flood of relief and joy, mingling together. She didn't say anything, just layed her head on the wet grass below them, her ebony hair splaying out behind her.

Gold beams of sun shadowed Katharine's face, making her look serene. Only for a second.

"Kat. Kat!" Jules hissed, shaking her roughly with no reservations about hurting her. The Queen pursed her lips and pushed her fists out, striking Jules. She pursed her lips and pushed her down, pinning her back. "Katharine!" She snarled.

Katharine yawned and then jolted. "What are you doing?" She whispered, her voice hoarse. Her eyes met with Jules two coloured ones.

"We're going to Bernadines Landing. I want to see your gift." She grinned, pulling Katharine off the bed. Katharine giggled and jumped up, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Jules ran ahead, the sound of twigs breaking trailing behind her. Katharine lagged behind, marvelling at her stamina. "Jules! Wait!" She called out over the sweet sound of nature.

Jules looked behind her slightly, a mask of joy on her face. She waited a few seconds, then halted abruptly to a stop. Katharine did so too. In front of them was a tree, bent horribly over. But it was far from ugly. The very leaves seemed to shine with vibrancy and the energy seemed to shimmer. This was the height of nature, where the goddess was most at work. Katharine gasped, her breaths turning short and quick. "Jules... This place..."

Jules nodded slowly, as seemingly enchanted as Katharine. She turned around and took the girls hands, tracing small patterns on them. Katharine knew what she wanted her to do, and closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the raw beauty around them. _This_ was why she was a naturalist.

It may have been seconds, or it may have been minutes, but something seemed to click inside the Young Queen. It was a feeling of pure euphoria, tingling through her entire body. Her eyes slowly opened.

All around them, flowers had bloomed, seemingly from nothing. They shone with life and love and _color._ The two girls took in their surroundings with wide eyes. They stood there for a long time, in awe at their creations.

"Kat. You're..." She shook her head. "I didn't do _any_ of that." Her face was pale, and her blond hair was in ringlets around her face. It was clear she was happy, or proud. Proud of _her._

Kat squeaked, turning around again. "Your familiar... It must be amazing." She muttered. Katharine cocked her head, still astonished at the extent of her own powers. They sat there for a while, relishing in the nature and beauty of the bent over tree.

When they got home, they practiced. And practiced more. And practiced more.

 _Nothing lasts forever._

 _Greavesdrake Manor_

The figure of a young girl stands upon a pedestal, many burning eyes upon her. She doesn't blush, or frown, or do anything that could indicate that she was unhappy. That would displease Natalia, or even worse, her sister.

"She's very skinny " An unfamiliar man remarks, his face pulled into a grimace. Arsinoe looks coolly at him with a level gaze, and he seems to shrink. Her eyes fall to Natalia's, and she thinks she can see a hint of amusement and pride in them.

For the last few weeks, Arsinoe has been fed poison after poison, trying to figure out the extent of her gift. They had started out with weak venoms, such as tainted wine and bark. Then, when they realised she could withstand them, they grew crueler. But Arsinoe still resisted.

That was when their faith in her was set into stone. Everyone reassured her, reassured themselves, that the reign of the Poisoner was nowhere near finished. This brought out a feeling of joy to her, but also of fear. She still couldn't understand about her sisters, where _they_ had gone. A feeling had begun to bloom in her, a feeling of normality . That she had lived here her whole life. Memories were beginning to fade away into dust, taking away the laughter and the smiles. All that was left was the poison. Seeping through her veins, tainting not her health, but her mind. Making her twisted.

Arsinoe sat in her bed last night, swaddled in her blankets. The gentle lull of sleep was far away from her, and she couldn't even relax. Her limbs were aching to move, to do _something._ And so she did.

Sighing, she knocked on the office that she knew well now. It was a curious place, full of wine and pots and jewels. This finery was new to the Queen, but it was also familiar.

"Come in!" A smooth voice called out from inside.

Arsinoe nodded and opened the door. There was Natalia, surrounded by numerous piles of paperwork. She looked stressed, her face contorted into a frown, but it brightened when her eyes landed on the Queen. "Arsinoe? What are you doing here?" Natalia asked, rising up from her seat.

Arsinoe blushed- she was the only one who could make her blush- and bowed her head. "I wanted some answers. About my sisters." Her voice was surprisingly steady, though she didn't feel it.

Natalia nodded slowly, a smirk spreading onto her face. Arsinoe could not decide whether she liked her; her cruelty was alarming, but so was her kindness. Her beauty too was a distraction, making her look like a saint. Arsinoe knew her too well, by now, to know that she wasn't.

"Well, what is there to know? You each have your different gifts. Poisoner, _Elemental, and Naturalist."_ Her voice turned bitter on those last two words, like the very idea disgusted her. "Only one of you can be Queen."

Arsinoe rolled her eyes, in a very childlike way. She sat down on a comfy looking chair, relishing the relief. "Everyone's told me that. But I don't understand... Why?" Her face was a mask of confusion and exhaustion.

Natalia chuckled. "The Ascension Year, my dear Queen. In ten years, you and your sisters will meet again, and you will do what Queens are born to do." She sounded exceptionally pleased at this thought.

A flower of understanding began to bloom inside the girls chest. Her face paled considerably. _Ten years sounds like an awful long time._ "What are Queens supposed to do?" Arsinoes voice cams out in a squeak.

Natalia raised her eyebrows and went very still. Then she leaned forward, and Arsinoe was reminded of that day two weeks ago, that horrible day in the Volroy. "To eliminate the others, Arsinoe. Did you not know?"

Arsinoe looked at Natalia.

 _Eliminate._

Then, in one swift motion, she fled out of the room, the sound of blood rushing in her ears.

 _Eliminate._

Blood, all that blood. Faces, nameless faces, with hair so like her own. Laying on the ground, covered in white froth and blood. And there she was, against a bent over tree, arrow through her chest.

 _Eliminate._


End file.
